US honey production up 19 percent

Washington, DC - United States honey production in 2014 from producers with five or more colonies totaled 178 million pounds, up 19 percent from 2013, according to information compiled by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

There were 2.74 million colonies producing honey in 2014, up 4 percent from 2013. Yield per colony averaged 65.1 pounds, up 15 percent from the 56.6 pounds in 2013. Producer honey stocks were 41.2 million pounds on December 15, 2014, up 8 percent from a year earlier.

Honey prices increased to a record high during 2014 to 216.1 cents per pound, up 1 percent from 214.1 cents per pound in 2013. United States and state-level prices reflect the portions of honey sold through cooperatives, private, and retail channels.

California saw its production volume decrease slightly in 2014, from 11.5 million pounds in 2013 to nearly 10.9 million pounds, but the value of production increased, from $22.4 million in 2013 to nearly $23 million.